Desmond Tutu: Speaking the Truth

Desmond Tutu is in the news; still in the news - he is 81 years old you know. But that is not the issue that intersts me. He has just been awarded a cash prize of one million dollars by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation. Yes, awarded! I do not seek to unrevel the criteria used in the selection, but the Mo Foundation has its own standards, including the once cherished funding system for small businesses! Yes, standards are standards.

However, more than just talking about this award, my interst is in the fact that Desmond Tutu has been awarded this 2012 prize for"speaking truth to power" and incidents are cited by the BBC NEWS ARICA of the reverend gentleman refusing to share the same platform with former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair (because the British PM went to war with Iraq while lying about weapons of mass destruction). Ok. Where is the catch? I am seeking the meaning of truth.

 

What is truth? What constitutes truth to give those who speak it the upper hand? What is it truth speakers have that 'non-truth' speakers lack? Courage?

 

In the light of the 2012 Desmond Tutu "speaking truth to power" Mo Ibrahim Foundatioin award, I am set on the path of discovery. I am set on the path of seeking out the truth and how best to speak it. I am confident I will find my own truth - whatever that may be.

My First Year!

Twelve months and seven days. How much longer shall the counting take? The 'heat' of holding public trust in an environment like our dear country makes one wonder. How much longer indeed. Would it be . . . or would it just be? It may be that one braces the tape in time for throwing-in the towel. It may be that the sweat will still be running down ones face. Maybes all the way. Yet truth has a way of catching up somehow.

It is not impossible to appreciate why things will be difficult. The twelve months seven days. It showed one how to deal with 'reality'. But what reality? How should reality be understood? Things that happen? Things that could have happened? Things that should have happened? Things that did not happen? Things that happened. What is reality? Confusing. No matter how one 'thinks', the reality will demand conformity, not utopia! Delightful, indeed. Delightful.

Surely change must begin. How? Change is constant. Change is inevitable. Should any change depend on 'majority'? Having their way. Having their say. Now, unless I am more confused than I thought, often enduring change begin with a majority of one - YOU!

Elections & Good Governance ala Nigeria

This funny feeling remains with me anytime I hear or read sentiments about 'free and fair' elections and how a good government (good governance) can evolve from it. How defeatist this really is. How would an election produce a good government if all the structure (institutions) of government are not good? Is it possible for a good person to be elected through a faulty electoral process? Remember, the actual election day event is only one out of many events that make up the electoral process. How would an election change the attitude of the people? Can a good election remove the deference shown the traditional institutions? Would a good election produce a government that can make people see the difference between government property and 'a free for all collection' that is always ready to be plundered? Is there a government indeed . . . !

Not a chance. No election can actually produce a good government. Good governance is a complete process. It is a lie to assume that an election can make for good governance.

INEC, Governors & the Law

So, eventually a court in Abuja says five states may not be part of the April Governorship elections. The five governors took oath of office and oath of allegiance twice since their first election in 2007. The big deal is that INEC said earlier these five states must join in the 2011 elections because of a constitutional amendment that says period spent in office by an incumbent returned after a by-election should count in determining his or her tenure of four years.

Is the Federal High Court saying the law cannot and should not be 'retroactive'? Is the constitutional 'alteration' actually retroactive? How soon can an appeal run through? Would we enjoy the privilege of a Supreme Court pronouncement? Ok, this is Nigeria. The days, though numbered, have a way of elongating themselves for Nigerians.

Nigeria: The Meaning of Credible Elections!

When on the 22nd August 2010, the result of the by-election for the senate seat from the Bauchi South Senatorial District if Bauchi State, North East Nigeria was anounced, only two other political parties were present at the district collation centre. Both of them 'refused' to sign the collation sheet claiming they individually had problems with 'the way the election was conducted' and 'the outcome of the election'. That they had the right to petition and prove their claims was not sufficient to make them leave the premises quitely. The noise that ensued was quite disturbing and clearly reflects the attitude of Nigerian politicians to the outcome of elections. Yet, the clear definition for a credible election appears to be missing in the Nigerian polity.

Very few Nigerians accept they understand, let alone appreciate that election outcomes cannot always be the yardstick for determining the credibility of an election. If it was so, public sentiments will be the determining factor in elections and not the number of votes scored by candidtaes in contested elections. No Nigerian politician has yet said elections in Nigeria are not contested. It is probably the way in which the contest eventually runs that becomes an issue after the elections. Credibility is attained for whoever wins. It is not for all those who loose.

The time for a determination of the real definition of credible election within the Nigerian context is now. Otherwise, Professor Jega, the INEC Chairman may be disappointed.

What block?

I will never understand what a writer's block is. I do understand you may have alot of things you think you want to write, but find that you are unable to write. My current state. Pity, I fancy holding onto a blog for a while.

Never to be late!

Surely, staying away from my blog is not planned. It just happened. Well, no it was caused by NEPA (oh dear me, PHCN), as if I need to justify my reluctance to write the small pieces. But the truth is that Nigeria has become a 'fearful' place. Writing opinions is now a problem. So is holding the opinion in the first place - unless of course you are a 'mouthpiece'. God help us.